What to expect out of Cardinals' Lance Lynn in 2024

The downside of the Lynn signing

As is the case with any pitcher, the Lynn signing comes with a few risks.

Firstly, he's 36 years old and will be turning 37 in May. Counting on a soon-to-be 37-year-old to give you a ton of innings, especially at this stage in his career, is asking a lot.

We also need to take into account that the veteran right-hander allowed 44 home runs during the regular season, which was the most in all of baseball. Pitching at Busch Stadium should help him cut down a bit on the home runs, as it has become more pitcher-friendly in recent years.

However, it is still a concern. That is ultimately what caused his ERA to skyrocket this season, which brings us to yet another concern. He posted an ERA of 5.73, and that doesn't inspire much confidence when it was the pitching that failed the Cardinals in 2023 as they endured their first 90-loss season since 1990.

They'll need him to bounce back to his 2022 form in order for this rotation to be able to help change their fortunes for 2024. The Cardinals are still hoping to bounce back into contention next year.